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2022 San Diego-Carlsbad-Vista Tornado
Tornado Summary The tornado first touched down in the Miramar Community of San Diego, near the edge of the runway at the Miramar Executive Airport, at around 11:40am PDT. Initially, the storm remained very small and weak as it tracked over an open field for nearly a mile. It then entered an industrial complex in Sorrento Valley, causing minor roof damage to several large storage facilities, warehouses, and office buildings. Remaining less than 30 yards wide, the tornado strengthened significantly, causing significant roof damage to numerous multi-story concrete buildings. A putting building at the Sorrento Valley Golf Center was completely destroyed by the tornado. Briefly reaching EF3 intensity, the storm ripped off the entire roof of the Singature Analytics San Diego office building, with several large air conditiong units being ripped off of the roof and carried for 150 yards. The tornado then weakend, dealing EF2 damage to 3 more large buildings before moving into a wooded area. A small neighborhood of well-built, two-story in the wooded area sustained a direct hit from the now 50 yard wide tornado, with nearly 30 homes being damaged. Most homes that were hit had minor roof and siding damage, with several homes having large portions of their roof removed. Two homes had most of the second floor completely destroyedm with only interior walls left. A car was thrown into the first floor of one home, killing the driver. The tornado crossed Peñasquitos Creek, uprooting several small bushes and trees. The tornado then moved into the community of Caramel Mountain, now a violently rotating but thin tornado. The tornado hit one home, completely demolishing the top floor with only the bathroom walls left standing, and several other homes suffered similar damage. Striking the Higlands Village Condominiums, 21 buildings had their roofs completely removed at EF2 intensity, and 12 had all outside walls of the top floor collapse - imdicative of EF3 damage. The tornado then became violent, the first in California's history, as 3 buildings lost the entire top floor, and one even lost 2 exterior walls on lower floors. 2 people were killed here, and 25 others were injured. The tornado continued north-northeast, impacting several two-story homes across the street from the condominiums. 5 homes in this area were leveled by the tornado, with winds in the storm being estimated near 185 mph at this time. The tornado then widened as it mvoed over a hill, reaching 360 yards wide. On the other side of the hill, the tornado directly impacted the Fairmont Gran Del Mar - a luxury hotel with several wings. Most of the roof along the central part of the building was torn off, adn exterior walls in the seperate wings were blown in. The Villas at Del Mar Golf Course was completely destroyed, and the clubhouse on site recieved EF1 damage. Crossing another hill, the tornado came down the hill and rapidly excelerated, causing EF3 damage to pet resort. The Del Mar Orchid World was completely destroyed at EF3 intensity. The tornado crossed the Ted Williams Freeway, throwing 4 cars off the road, killing 2. The tornado then moved into an open strip of land between two nieghborhoods, damaging homes on both sides. Several homes had moderate roof damage, with some having back walls facing the strip of land being blown in. Minor roof damage occurred at the Sycamore Ridge High School. The tornado then turned northwest, moving through a neighborhood of homes directly north of the high school. 31 homes sustained EF2 damage, 19 recieved EF3 damage, and 4 homes in the northeast corner of the neighborhood collapsed, having been impacted by winds estimated in the lew-end EF4 range. 2 people were killed in this area. As the tornado crossed into another open field, it became large multi-vrotex stovepipe tornado. Homes along Blazing Star Lane sustained significant damage, including two well-built, 2-story homes that were completely destroyed except for 2 interior walls on the first floor. The tornado then moved into the Pacific Highlands House development area, where construction for a new housing project was about to begin. Large construction equipment, including a 15-ton bullzdozer, were blown around. Several cars were mangled. The tornado then moved into the Del Mar Country Club area, where 45 multi-million dollar, 3-story brick home homes were damaged. 6 homes near Dalia Drive collapsed, and 1 of those homes was completely destroyed with no first floor walls remaining. Winds here were estimated in the upper bounds of EF4, near 195 mph. Dozens of trees were uprooted or debarked, and a pond on the golf course was completely drained. More homes were impacted, with several more sustaining high-end EF4 damage. Most of these homes were inhabited by retired couples, leading to 12 deaths occurring in this region. The tornado then moved into a field, completely destroying the barn where the Kailmar Farms Equestrian School was located, killing 5 horses. The parent supercell then began to cycle, causing the tornado to rapidly weaken and constrict. By the time it reached homes at the other end of the field, it was just 180 yards wide, compared to the previous 550 yards that it had been. A large wooden storage unit was flattened, and trees and telephone poles were snapped. Weakening below EF3 intensity, two small homes lost their whole roofs. The tornado then began to rope out, losing the condensation that formed its funnel. The tornado continued speeding north, causing roof damage to several homes and downing numerous trees. Strengthening a bit as moved into another field, a small and poorly built house was pushed several yards off its foundation. A larger home up the road lost its whole roof. Moving into Rancho Santa Fe, the tornado weakened singificantly again. Remaining less than 60 yards wide, the tornado snapped off tree limbs and blew shingles off of homes. Some homes lost small portions of the roof framing. The tornado then trekked through the Rancho Santa Fe communtiy plaza, causing consdierable roof damage to the North County Dispatch Joint Powers Authority building, Rancho Santa Fe Fire Portection offices, and the R. Roger Rowe School. Nets at the Rancho Santa Fe tennis club were ripped up, and 3 dozen trees at the location were blown down. The tornado continued to produce minor damage. However, as it reached Vista de Fortuna street in northern Rancho Santa Fe, the tornado once again widened and strengthened. A large home had most of its roof removed, and two sheds at the site where swept away. A large palm tree was snapped at the base. 8 more homes sustained EF0 or EF1 damage, before the tornado rapidly intensified into an EF3 again. A small, poorly built wooden home was completely destroyed, and the car at the location was tossed 50 yards. Several more homes had their roofs blown off, and a well-built brick home lost 2 of its exterior walls. By the time the tornado reached a small row of homes near the Escondido Creek, the had once again become a 300 yard wide stovepipe. Several homes here sustained high-end EF3 damage, and water from the creek was sucked into the funnel. Hundreds of trees and bushes around the creek were uprooted. The tornado damaged another 30 homes, 6 of which lost their whole roof and at least 2 outside walls. Continuing to widen, the tornado moved through an open space, coming out the other end as a violent EF4. One home was completely destroyed, and 2 dozen others were damaged to some degree. Numerous homes sustained EF4 damage as the tornado moved up Calle Acervo, and many other homes sustained at least EF1 damage. Now a half-mile wide wedge, the tornado rapidly strengthened into an EF5 tornado. Several well-built, 2-story homes were swept away completely. Trees were debarked and sheard to the ground. Many other homes nearby suffered significant damage. The football field of the La Costa Canyon High School sustained EF2 damage, as the turf was partially scoured and one goal post was snapped. The tennis courts on campus were also heavily damaged. The tornado constricted again as it continued to produce EF5 damage, completelyd estroying the Stagecoach Communtiy Park playground, tennis court, and gymanisum. Several 2-story apartment buildings were completely destroyed at EF4 intensity, and several were partialy swept away at EF5 strength. Numerous other homes were also swept away, and dozens others were damaged to some other extent. A CVS pharmacy was severely damaged, and a small, brick Taco Shop was flattened as the tornado moved through the La Costa town square. Hundreds of cars in the town square parking lot was tossed around, several of which were mangled and wrapped around the bases of light posts. The tornado began to weaken as it continued north, sweeping away 3 more houses and causing EF3+ damage to many others. As the tornado moved north along Cadencia Street, it weakened to EF4 intensity, destroying numerous homes and apartments. The tornado then moved through a wooded area around Box Canyon, and at that point was 0.42 miles wide. Two large metal transmission towers were sheared to the ground, and dozens of small trees and shrubs were uprooted and the hillside was scoured. As the tornado came down the other side of the hillside, several more homes were demolished at EF4 damage and many others damaged. The La Costa Meadows Elementary School suffered a direct hit, suffering a total collapse of the roof and loss of several outside walls. The tornado continued to destroy dozens of home, slimming down to a quarter mile wide as it crossed Unicornia Street, and weakened to a low-end EF4 as several apartment buildings were severly damaged. The tornado then weakened to EF3 strength as it began to become a largewedge tornado again, causing significant damage to several dozens of homes. As the tornado crossed Poinsettia Lane, it had widened to just over a half mile, and was damaging numerous homes. It then moved into an open area, where hundreds of shrubs and trees were uprooted, and several large transmission towers were knocked down. The edge of the funnel caused moderate roof damage to the Pacific Ridge School, and several rows of homes on the right side of the tornado were damaged at EF2 or EF3 intensity. By the time the tornado reached Palomar Airport Road, the tornado was now 0.85 miles wide, and dozens of buildings had been encompassed within the funnel. The tornado stengthened into an EF4 as it moved through the Bressi Ranch industrial park, causing the entire Optum RX building to collapse, killing nearly a dozen workers. Cars in the parking lot of the Cisco building were carried for up to 350 yards and large trees were partially debarked. The tornado continued doing severe damage to numerous officia ebuildings before corssing Faraday Avenue, where it reached 1.25 miles. The multi-story Hyatt Place San Diego-Vista/Carlsbad was severely damaged, with the upper floors being completely destroyed. The tornado once again reached EF5 intensity, as nearly a dozen homes were completely swept away. A Home Depot was severely damaged, with most of the structural integrity of the buildiung being compromised. The B&D Nutrintional Ingrediants warehouse was completely destroyed and partially swept aaway, and large steel pylons on the foundation were twisted and sheared to the ground. Several dozens of other homes were severly damaged or destroyed, including numerous that sustained EF5 damage. Dozens of other commerical buildings were also damaged, and 2 other warehouses had EF5 damage inflicted on them. The tornado, still enlarging, then passed through the Dawson Los Monos Canyon reserve, debarking and uprooting hundreds of trees as well other shrubbery. The tornado was so violent that water within the Agua Hedionda Creek was sucked out, causing the creek to run dry for several weeks following the tornado. Despite moving over the hilly reserve, the tornado was so wide the several blocks of homes on the right side of the canyon sustained EF2 and EF3 damage. Cars along South Melrose Drive - one of the busiest roads in all of San Diego County - were tossed off the road, killing numerous occupants. The Vista Fire Department Station 5 recieved EF2 damage, and nearby homes sutained similar damage. Continuing north, the massive tornado continued to grow as it once again moved through a residential area. Dozens of homes that were impact by powerful vortices inside the core of the vortex were leveled and completely swept away, and many trees, including palm trees, were completely debarked and denuded. The water at a duck pond was sucked out, and the foundation of an outdoor public bathrrom was cracked and dragged about 3 feet, and plubming at the site was ripped out of the ground. Hundreds of homes towarss the sides of the tornado sustained varying degrees of damage, most of which fell at EF2 or EF3 level. Impacting a small busniess plaza, a large, concrete building that held several businesses, including an orthodontist, pizza parlor, and fitness camp, was completely destroyed and swept away.Amazingly, despit being located right next to the pizza parlor, a Catholic Preschool only suffered significant roof damage, and one exterior wall collapsed. All 130 children and staff inside survived without major injuries; much lower than the 19 deaths that occured in adjacent buildings. The tornado contunied devastating residential neighborhoods until it reached the Rancho Buna Vista High School. 40 of the classrooms on the campus were held in flmisy, unanchored portable units; all of which were completley obliterated. Turf on the football field was scoured, and both sides of bleachers were mangled and thrown some distance. Cars in the parking lot were lofted and torn apart, and several cars were rduced to their frams and wrapped around remaining structures and debris. The west side of the campus was completely destroyed, with numerous concrete wings that contained classrooms being completely destroyed. On the east side of campus, the gym roof collapsed, and severe roof and wall damaged occurred to the front office and performing arts center. Many other classrooms were severaly damaged or destroyed, and the tennis courts and baseball fields were devastated as well, with large light poles in the baseball fields being sheared to the ground. Hundreds of homes around the school were damaged, including about 45 that were impacted by EF5 winds. At this point the tornado reached its maximum width of 1.35 miles. Category:Tornadoes Category:Deadly Tornadoes Category:Catastrophic Tornadoes Category:Costly Tornadoes Category:Violent Tornadoes Category:F5/EF5 Tornadoes